The last tire monkey to put tires on my wife's truck forgot to put the wheel lock key back in the truck. Now 3 months later, they dont have it anymore.

I have tried EVERYTHING I could think of to get the wheel locks off. 3 of them I could get off, but the last one is stuck and broken. This is what I did:

Lug #1 - Ground 2 sides flat to get vise grips on it and a breaker bar. Came off smoothly

Lug #2 - Tried method one, but wouldnt work...kept grinding more off, but broke through to center. Still wont come off. Used a cut-off wheel to cut the plastic wheel cap off to try for a better angle...no luck, this was a front tire, so the bearing cap is in the way. Gave up on this one for a while.

Lug #3 - Used a cut-off wheel to cut the plastic center cap off, then cut a slot into the top of the lug. Bought an impact driver, and drove the flat head bit all the way through the center. It stuck good, so I thought I would get a socket the size of the bit, and extention and breaker bar, and with a little grunting, that too came off.

Lug #4 - came off like # 3

Now back to #2. Tried the same method that worked with 3 & 4, but half the remaining wheel lock broke off while I was using the impact driver on it.

So now what? I have 1/3 of a piece of lug left (top part), and have tried vise-gripping it, but no luck. I tried driving a 13/16 12 point socket over the lug, but the metal of the wheel lock is stronger than the metal in the socket.

How the heck am I going to get this off?


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Mike Metzler (Desert86Roc)
Mike@SpeedworldMotorplex.com
[*] Webmaster: SpeedWorldMotorplex.com[*] Click Here For My Racing Page[*]86 IROC 305 TPI (406 build in progress)
ET's @ 1250 ft[*] 14.28 @ 95.461 mph (uncorrected, NOS, no headers)[*] 15.365 @ 86.785 mph (uncorrected, Headers, no NOS)

 

Well seems you've tried everything, so I 'll just throw in a thought or two. Have you tried heating it up. Maybe with heat it'll expand enough to break loose. Also applying penetrating oil might help. If you use a propane torch remember the oil is flamable. I wish you lots of luck on this one !

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1992 Z28 Heritage White/Red Stripes 700R4,L98,3:23 Posi
All stock except waterpump and new Delco battery.
1972 V8 Vega

 

Yes try heating it. Heat it cherry red and then drive the 13/16 socket on. Had to do this with a set of McGards after a mechanic tightened them with an impact. Good Luck

 

Yes try heating it. Heat it cherry red with a MAP gas torch and then drive the 13/16 socket on. Had to do this with a set of McGards after a mechanic tightened them with an impact. The only other thing I can think of is to drill through the center and try to weaken the lug so it will break easily. Take your time and becarful if you try this. Good Luck

 

Two words: CUTTING TORCH.
you may have to replace the stud afterwards, but it will come off.

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Pimpin' ain't easy.

 

Don't know what your wheel locks look like, but with McGuard, I just welded a standard nut to the top of the lock. A good spot weld in the center of the nut will join the nut to the lock. Then use the appropriate socket. Good luck!

 

PS Make sure your weld ground is on the brake drum or adjacent lug nut -NOT on the frame. If the ground current goes thru any bearings, you're life just got more expensive.

 

Thanks all, but I figured out a way. I just drove an old 13/16 socket onto one of the locks I removed, then punched it out, and repeated a couple more times. Then put the resulting socket on the "stuck" one. Came off like a charm. I found out after the fact, that that is the correct way to do it. In fact, Snap-On sells special sockets just for doing it.